You will find below a list of the most popular international and bilingual schools for expats in Kazakhstan with fee information. The list includes nursery schools, primary and secondary (high) schools for you to find the right school to prepare for the International Baccalaureate and other accreditation in Kazakhstan. Some schools may follow the American or British curriculums with English speaking programs.

Education in Kazakhstan

Once part of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan has faced serious issues since becoming it's own nation. An economic depression led to major cuts in public financing for education in Kazakhstan in 1993 with many teachers leaving the field for more lucrative careers or life abroad. Since that time of instability, the country has worked with its neighbors to strengthen it's education system. The Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan

follows the 1995 constitution which provides for mandatory primary and secondary school education. Kazakhstan was reported as holding a 99.1% literacy rate for males and 97.7% for females (as of 1999).

Children typically start kindergarten at age 5 with primary school starting at age 6 and running from years 1 – 5. Primary school is provided free to all citizens and residents of Kazakhstan. Students continue in lower secondary school from grade 5 to year 9. Upon entering upper secondary school, there are three tracks available. Graduates of all three tracks are eligible to enter university.

The curriculum for both primary and secondary school is established by the Ministry of Education. Curriculum covers subjects like literature, student's first language, Russian or Kazakh language (depending on the language of the school in general), history, physics, mathematics, biology, chemistry, and foreign language.

International Schools

International schools can be the perfect solution for an expat student (multinational corporation executives, children of diplomats, NGO staff) in Kazakhstan. International schools provide similar standards of schooling around the globe, providing for an easy transition between schools whether they are in France or Vietnam.

There is usually local population, as well as an international student body. Schools may follow a curriculum model from the US, UK, France, etc. Primary instruction may be any language (and multiple languages are usually taught), but it is usually in English. Schools also provide internationally accepted accreditation such as the international baccalaureate.

Admission and enrollment procedures vary from school to school. Space is often limited and preference may be given to students based on nationality. Tuition tends to be expensive based on local standards, but offers high standards of learning, boast smaller class sizes, first-rate facilities, and extracurricular. Boarding facilities are available at some schools, but most only provide day classes.

Accreditation & Membership

• Council of International Schools (CoIS) is a non-profit association of international schools and post-secondary institutions which provides educational accreditation, teacher and leadership recruitment services, links to higher education, governance assistance and help with founding new schools.
• Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) is an association of evangelical Protestant Christian schools.
• Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA) is among the premier accrediting associations in the world.

International Schools in Almaty

Almaty International School
Address: Kalkaman Village, 185 Auezova Street
050006 Almaty, Kazakhstan
Tel: 7 (727) 381-87-04
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

Almaty International School is a private non-profit institution that opened in August 1993. It offers education in English for preschool through secondary. Instruction is in English with language classes offered in the French, Spanish and Russian. For Kazakh citizens, partial instruction is required in Kazakh language. Almaty International School has been accredited through MSA.

Galaxy International School
Address: Microdistrict 4, 74
A10A5M5, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Tel: +7 727 243 77 80
Email: info@galaxyis.kz
Tuition Rates: 3,125,000 KZT

Galaxy International School (GIS) is a non-profit and co-educational private day school and caters for a range of local and international students residing in Almaty. GIS is a member of COBIS and offers Cambridge International Programmes and Qualifications for 5-18-year-olds. At the end of relevant school stages, students sit a number of international exams such as Cambridge Primary and Lower Secondary Checkpoints, IGCSEs and AS/A Levels. Students can also take Cambridge English Qualifications such as Pre A1 Starters, A1 Movers, A2 Flyers, A2 Key, B1 Preliminary, B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency.

Haileybury Almaty
Address: Al-Farabi 112
Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan
Tel: 7 727 355 0988
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

An independent international school that is an offshoot from Haileybury, an independent school in England. It offers a broad, liberal education in the best traditions of British independent schooling. It caters to the needs of both local and international children. The school offers British style examinations (the General Certificate of Education and the International General Certificate of Education) with secondary students prepared for Advanced levels (AS levels and A2s) and entry to overseas universities. Pupils also study for the IELTS certificate. There is a co-educational boarding system.

Kazakhstan International School (KIS)
Address: Utegen Batyr St.
Almaty 050062, Kazakhstan
Tel: 7 273953354
Tuition Rates: $7,000 - 17,400 per year

KIS is a nonprofit international school that offers International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP). English is the common language of instruction. The school is approved by CoIS.

Miras International School
Address: 190 Al Farabi st.
050043, Almaty Kazakhstan
Tel: 7 (727) 242 16 65 or +7 (727) 242 16 76;
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

Miras International School provides both International Baccalaureate and Kazakh Curriculum. Instruction is in a choice of three languages: English, Russian or Kazakh. Kindergarten to Grade 12 classes are offered for Kazakhstani students and foreign nationals. The International Baccalaureate Programme is authorized too provide all three IB programmes. Miras provides a choice between the Kazakh programme and International Programme in Grade 6.

Oxford Academy Almaty (OAA)
Address: 77, Zataevich St.
Almaty, Kazakstan
Tel: 7 (727) 263-64-62
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

The school follows the British Curriculum for the Early Years Foundation Stage.

Tien Shan International School (TSIS)
Address: OPS No 36, PO Box 10
Almaty, Kazakhstan
Tel: 7 727 344 1266
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

An international day school with high-quality English-medium Christian education from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Students in kindergarten through sixth grade. TSIS is a member of CoIS and ACSI.

International Schools in Astana

NurOrda International School (NIS)
Address: 23-13 st. building 34,
Astana 010000 Kazakstan
Tel: 7(7172) 427-822
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

A non-profit private school executing under the umbrella of Kazakh-Turkish Educational Foundation KATEV. The programme is intended from reception class (grade 0) to grade 11. NIS is working towards it's CoIS accreditation. NIS has also become a Cambridge International School.